Detroit Lions Week 18 inactives: Penei Sewell OUT, Jared Goff IN vs. Packers

The Detroit Lions have declared their inactives ahead of their Week 18 season finale against the Green Bay Packers.

Here’s a look at the players that won’t be playing this week:

Lions Reserve/COVID-19 list:

• EDGE Austin Bryant

The Lions were able to return both starting offensive tackle Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday, but Bryant was still symptomatic and therefore will not be available to play this Sunday.

Lions inactives:

• RT Penei Sewell (thumb/illness)
• Superback Jason Cabinda (knee) — ruled out Friday
• QB David Blough
• RB Jermar Jefferson
• WR Trinity Benson
• OT Dan Skipper
• DL Jashon Cornell

Sewell was removed from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday but was added to the injury report with an illness. This likely meant he was symptom-free but still testing positive and the team was hoping his Sunday morning test would return negative—which it appears it did not. He will likely be replaced by Matt Nelson, who started the first eight games of the season at right tackle when Decker was out with a thumb injury.

Jared Goff hasn’t played the last two weeks due to a stint on the reserve/COVID-19 list and a lingering knee injury. With nothing left to play for in the 2021/22 season, no one would blame Goff for sitting out the finale and getting his knee right for next season, but the competitor in him has taken over and he is going to try and finish out the year on a high note. With Goff playing, Blough was declared inactive as the Lions opted for depth at other positions over QB3.

Cabinda was ruled out on Friday and his role will be consumed by the rest of the running back reserves, specifically Jamaal Williams and Craig Reynolds.

Jefferson was never able to get back on the field after being injured and passed on the depth chart. He still shows plenty of promise as a runner, but he is not currently amongst the top-2 backs, and doesn’t have a role on special teams, leaving him as the odd man out.

With six healthy wide receivers, Benson is once again a healthy scratch as he is the lowest man on the depth chart at the position.

Skipper was elevated for this weekend’s game with Will Holden working through an illness, but with Holden ready to go, Skipper was not needed.

Cornell has been dealing with injuries all season and despite returning from the reserve/non-football injury list two weeks ago, he was still not ready to play today.

Packers inactives:

• CB Jaire Alexander (shoulder) — ruled out on Friday
• DL Kingsley Keke (illness) — ruled out on Friday
• S Shawn Davis
• RB Aaron Jones
• LB De’Vondre Campbell
• OL Jake Hanson
• DL Jack Heflin